Not Without Thought
by thehotmageaeris
Summary: Sindrel has seen a lot through the years, having been the Nerevarine, the Champion of Cyrodiil, and now the Dragonborn. She reflects back on previous experiences, as well as previous lovers, as she still searches for the one man she gave her heart to. Summary sucks, sorry, but please give it a read! Lucien/FDragonborn, Vilkas/FDragonborn, Xelian OC Dremora /FDragonborn
1. Chapter 1

Not Without Thought

Chapter 1

"Here's everything you need. Try not to muck it up." A flaxen haired woman with hard features said as she tossed a bag over to the woman standing across from her in the dingy underground tavern. The woman caught it with ease, not paying the bag much mind. Instead, she peeled her eyes at the woman who had given her the new burglary job.

"Vex, have you always been like this?" She asked, carelessly placing the package within her pack. The other woman faltered at the question slightly, blinking in confusion when her eyes met the piercing emerald gaze that was studying her.

"What are you talking about?" Vex questioned back, her frustration beginning to spill into her words.

"You are so rough. I'm just curious if you've always been like this."

"Look, just because you're the new guild leader doesn't mean we have to cozy up with each other and be best friends, Sindrel. I've got my job to do and I'm damn good at doing it, so you can just do your own thing." Vex spat out, folding her arms.

She hated being studied, especially by the newest member of the thieves guild. The newest member who climbed to the top of the chain, taking out Mercer Frey after he betrayed everyone in the guild. She, along with everyone else in the guild, probably owed her a lot more than just a thanks. However, most just gave her a nod a smile at best. Everyone was probably just as flabbergasted as she was with this woman, who months ago had never been heard of before, now practically running the place. What probably irked Vex the most was the fact that she was bringing the guild back into the light of being notorious again after so many years of piss poor luck.

"You see, there you go again." Sindrel pointed out casually. "I bet if you were a tad more lax, you'd be a lot more fun to be around."

"I don't have to explain myself to you, or anyone for that matter." Vex furrowed her brow in anger. Sindrel sighed at the woman before her who had become more tense than usual from her previous comment.

"Look, I'm not trying to start a fight. I'm not trying to be best buddies with you either. I can see a few other people are just as stringent with how they handle themselves here, and that's fine. I just wanted to say that there are people who probably see you as a friend. Perhaps, every now and then, you could drop the tough guy act and appreciate those around you for sticking with you. The guild, in its own way, is like a family." Sindrel said, pulling her long fiery braid forward so that she could shoulder her pack with ease. She turned, glancing back for only a second to finish her thought to Vex. "I've been pretty envious of that since I came to Skyrim."

Vex stared after her until she disappeared from the Ragged Flagon. She kicked a chair near her and went over to the bar for a drink. For ten minutes she sat, thinking about Sindrel's words, wondering why they burned her more they they should have. With a curse, she slammed down her mug, fully agitated and needed to know. "What the hell was that all about!?"

Sindrel sat in the Bee and Barb tavern, deep in thought. A fit of deep laughter from a nearby table shook her from her thoughts, long enough to coax a look around the room over the pint she held to her lips. For a second, she watched the table of Nords as they continued their laughter. She stole a glance over at the bar. That damn bar. She had met a robed man going by the name of Sam who challenged her to drinks. Her stubbornness led her into trouble, as always, with that one. She should have known the Daedric Prince of debauchery would be involved. Sanguine and her ran about Skyrim, pulling multiple merry pranks upon unsuspecting citizens. She wasn't amused when she found out she was married to a hagraven because of him. It was relieving to know that they had not consummated "their love" or she would have probably killed herself out of disgust. She briefly wondered if the Prince took advantage of her being drunk as hell. Then again, it would not have been the first time she was involved with a Daedric Prince. That would have been forgivable at least. Just as long that goat wasn't involved.

Her eyes wandered about the room to the attractive looking Imperial mage that sat in the corner near one of the entrances, looking for someone to sell his use of spell casting to on some future adventure. Sindrel considered for a moment the idea of hiring him, getting to know him, sharing the road and her journeys with him. She dismissed the thoughts as fast as they came. Her usual flirtatious mannerism had been washed away many years back. The thought of flirting just reminded her of...

Sindrel snapped out of her thoughts and sat blinking at a seated, scowling Vex across from her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice you sit down. I was about to head out to Whiterun, did you need something?" Sindrel grinned sheepishly, embarrassed she had let her guard down that badly. How she survived for so many years and through so many a crisis amazed her sometimes.

"I want to know what brought on that little spiel down in the Flagon." Vex replied, hold her arms folded in front of her as always. "Now spill it."

Sindrel blinked at her for a second and let out a laugh that nearly rivaled the table of Nords. "I am not quite sure what you're asking for."

Vex rubbed her shoulder, unsure of how to approach the other woman's question with a response. Finally she sat back and spoke, unabashed. "I understand you're the Dragonborn, I heard Brynjolf and Karliah speak of it. I've also heard talk of how you slew Alduin, the supposed World Eater. I think that all is a bunch of superstitious rubbish. How can a giant lizard eat the world? I don't really care though. However, you're also now the Harbinger of the Companions, or whatever, as well as Archmage at the College of Winterhold, though I'm not sure how or why."

"I like conjuration a lot." Sindrel told her with an impish smile.

"Whatever. My point is, you seem to love butting into people's affairs, running around and doing errands for everyone, and making friends with everyone. It's pretty sickening how helpful you are sometimes. Why do you bother? Don't you get tired of being everyone's errand girl?" Vex was now tapping her fingers upon the table in irritation.

"What can I say, I get bored easily." She said with a shrug. "I'm in it for the riches and glory."

"Seriously, what is your deal?" Vex demanded. "That can't be the only reason you go around trying to cheer people up and make everyone all happy. I heard you console Sapphire and no one ever tries to talk to Sapphire. They're all afraid of her, but not you. You're not afraid to talk with anyone!"

"Does it anger you that I like to see those around me in good spirits?" Sindrel asked her incredulously.

"No, I don't really care. I just don't understand why you bother." The haughty Imperial woman replied.

"I bother because life in Tamriel isn't easy. It's never been easy. I would know. I'm sure you know, too. Just as Sapphire knows." Sindrel sighed.

"Alright then. No one really knows much about you, and we have good eyes and ears in the guild. Tell me your story."

"What is this? The almighty Vex wishes to know the history of a poor wretch like me?" Sindrel giggled jokingly. Vex huffed a bit and scowled at her.

"Look, I'm not going to pry it out of you like you did Sapphire, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little curious. You're a mystery to everyone."

"It's quite the tale. We'd be here all night if I told it."

"Yea, I've heard the same thing from Cynric," Vex waved her hand in dismissal.

She swigged from her drink again and looked Vex hard in the eyes. "Can you guess how old I am?"

"I don't know… You're a Breton, right? You look about twenty-five winters old…" Vex wagered. She raised an eyebrow at the red head across from her. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It has a lot to do with everything." Sindrel sighed, tracing the rim of her mug with her thumb. "I would be about twenty-five, actually, if this was the end of the third era."

Vex examined her companion across from her scrupulously. To her, Sindrel's eyes were fierce, some would even say they had a hunger to them. Vex always just thought it was her strength shining through her eyes to match the red head's fiery spirit. Now, however, she could see the glimmer of something more... vicious.

Sindrel gave her a grim, but very flashy smile. The blonde blinked, noting her teeth. "You're a vampire?"

"Afraid so."

"But… You're able to go out in the sun? And you're drinking ale even now!" Vex pointed at her as Sindrel was sipping again.

"Please, quiet yourself…" Sindrel muttered while she grabbed Vex's pointing finger and pulled it down to the table. A glance around the inn told her that no one took notice to Vex's raised voice. "As disgusting as it might be to you, as long as I consume blood at least once a day, the sun doesn't bother me much. I guess I have Clavicus Vile to thank for that. I'm already fair skinned, I just have to cover up a bit more. I can consume food and drink, however they don't provide any nourishment. Alcohol has just been one of my vices."

"Do you…" Vex touched her throat slowly, unnerved by what she was told.

"I only feed on bandits and thugs, or sometimes a group of rogue mages or necromancers here and there, as long as they attack first. I actually get bottles of blood from a few apothecaries as well. Don't ask me where they get it though, I have no idea."

"What about when you sleep?" Vex relaxed a bit, knowing now that she wasn't a food source for the woman.

"I sleep in normal beds like anyone else. I don't know how coffins became a thing with some vampires. They aren't too comfy." Sindrel chuckled. They sat for a while in an uncomfortable silence as Vex registered these facts. The table of Nords singing drunkenly kept the silence between the two women from being completely unbearable.

"So how did it happen?" Vex ventured to ask. Sindrel gazed off, as if to recall the experience and took a few minutes before responding.

"Well, since that cat is out of the bag, where would the harm be in telling you everything, right?" She muttered, more to herself than Vex. "I was turned by a dear friend I had made back in Cheydinhal, a bit over two hundred years back, while I was a part of the Dark Brotherhood."

"The Dark Brotherhood? You? I am not sure if I should be surprised or not. You don't seem the type to murder, however you do like to join up with every guild out there, it seems." Vex stated. She folded her arms and waited for Sindrel to continue.

"Well, I wasn't aiming to join them, actually. It was kind of an accident." She told her. "It was the night after I escaped from the Imperial Prison in Cyrodiil, I had mistaken an old man for a bandit highwayman, killing him before I realized I had made a mistake. I had been chased by one only an hour before and thought he was the same bandit from earlier, killing him as he rounded the bend with a dagger to the back. I felt horrible. I even buried the man near the road. Even though I was riddled with guilt, I still took his coin and later found a small town and, more importantly, an inn.

"It was a few hours after I rented a room and retired to bed I received a visitor. He was a cloaked man, very handsome and charming with his words, and the Speaker from the Dark Brotherhood no less. This man's name was Lucien and he praised my skill with a blade, inviting me into his family. The price of admission was the life of another old man named Rufio, however. I told him I'd think about it and he left me with a blade meant for the old man's throat. You could have considered me enchanted by the man, for I was terribly disappointed to see him leave. Ironically, Rufio wasn't far from where I was staying and I felt compelled to venture to this other inn further down the woodland road. I knew how the Dark Brotherhood worked. I had dealt with them before, back in Morrowind. I was more curious why someone would want an old man dead. So I did some investigating. I picked the lock to his room, and poked around a bit. So I find that he had murdered a young woman and was hiding out there from anyone who knew him. It was hard to feel guilty when I killed him, knowing what he had done.

"I was almost too thrilled when I was visited by Lucien again. He eagerly welcomed me into the Brotherhood, giving me instructions on where to go to find the sanctuary. From there, I worked on and off on contracts with the Brotherhood, only taking ones that were more based off of enacting justice upon murderers or scoundrels that were truly deserving of death. As I said earlier, I met a dear friend named Vincent during my time at the sanctuary and he offered me his dark gift as he called it. I accepted."

Vex stared at her. The Breton across from her was staring off over at the mage for hire near the door. She looked nostalgic. A detail in Sindrel's story caught Vex's attention, however.

"You said you dealt with the Dark Brotherhood on Morrowind? So you had been to Morrowind before the disasters?" Vex inquired.

"Oh yes. I spent a while over there. Actually, that's kind of where everything began." Sindrel looked back over to her again with a smile. "I was a prisoner released upon Morrowind, sent by the Emperor actually. There was a bunch of political stuff behind sending me there. I fit the bill for the Nerevarine prophecy that the people of Morrowind were really into. Who knew it would have indeed turned out true…"

"Wait, you're saying YOU are the Nerevarine? Wasn't the Nerevarine supposed to be the reincarnation of Nerevar?" Vex asked. Sindrel was impressed with Vex's knowledge on old history.

"It seems you know more legends than just about that old Barenziah crown." Sindrel said, raising her cup up to salute her before another drink.

"It's profitable knowledge in our line of work." Vex replied.

"Indeed!" Sindrel laughed and called over the bartender for an ale for the both Vex and her since they'd be there for a while.

"You seem to end up in prison a lot." Vex mentioned casually. "Has your connection with the guild kept you out of the Rift's jails?"

"The connection has only helped me on a few accounts since I've gotten pretty damn good at not getting caught. I actually rarely end up arrested. It seems when I am thrown in jail, something big happens once I'm allowed out or escape. Like the whole ordeal in Morrowind with the Tribunal, Cyrodiil with the oblivion gates, and then now in Skyrim when I had to destroy Alduin. It's pretty irritating how often the gods and Daedra mess with my life." Sindrel groaned, massaging her temples. "The first few times was related to Uriel Septim. I even witness his assassination by the Mythic Dawn."

"I find this all really hard to believe." Vex said, eying her. "You're telling me you met the Emperor and witnessed the beginning of the Oblivion Crisis?"

"I promise you I was there for the whole thing." Sindrel held up her hand as if she were pledging herself.

"Next you're going to tell me you were the Champion of Cyrodiil and banished the Daedra from Nirn." The blonde smirked, thinking her companion was clearly making up stories. Sindrel gave a halfhearted smile and nodded.

"As crazy as all of this sounds, yes, that's true."

Vex just looked at her, as if trying to catch the familiar glint Sindrel often had in her eye when she jested or was attempting to tell a joke. It wasn't there, just a somber gaze back. She then in turn took a deep drink from her ale, not really knowing what to think. They sat in silence again at their table. Neither of them had noticed that the table of drunken Nords had gotten up and left the inn a while back. The whole inn was a bit too quiet for Sindrel's liking. She slowly stood up and gathered her things.

"I'm sorry, but the cover of noise has left the inn. I think if you are wanting to hear the rest, you'd have to hear it elsewhere." Sindrel told her quietly. The blonde noticed that she looked worn, as if she had aged a decade with just the look that she had on her face. She wondered silently what memories the Breton was stirring up with all the talk of her past. Her curiosity got the better of her and she followed Sindrel's lead of making her way to the door.

Vex watched as Sindrel's façade brightened considerably as they passed the seated mage who was looking to get hired. The young Imperial man noticed the Breton and flashed a charming grin before sipping his wine. The Imperial woman continued to watch his eyes as they never left Sindrel while the exited the building. Sindrel invited Vex to her little Honeyside cottage in the city if she wished to hear more. Vex accepted the invitation, though a bit hesitantly. She still wasn't sure if she could fully trust Sindrel, now knowing her being a vampire.

"You seem fond of that mage. I believe his name is Marcurio." Vex chided, albeit playfully. "Weren't you just talking about your love, Lucien?"

"Marcurio," Sindrel tested the name on her lips. She glanced over the walls of the city to see the setting sun, a blood red sunset tiptoeing over the horizon's crest. "He resembles Lucien a great deal in appearance."

Sindrel's comment left Vex silent until they got inside Honeyside. Sindrel took it upon herself to offer Vex drinks and food, telling her housecarl, Iona, not to fret. She was fond of having guests over and took it upon herself to entertain and host them personally. The sat in the living area, across from the fire, and were both watching the flames cackle before them.

"Tell me of him." Vex said.

"Well, quite a bit led up to… to us. Really, it was more of a fling the more I think back on it." Sindrel replied. A pause followed, but Sindrel figured Vex was waiting for her to continue without so much a glance at her burglar companion. So she began to recount her memories of Lucien Lachance, thinking of one night in particular.

* * *

"Go to bed already! You're driving me crazy just knowing you're sitting there, staring at me." Sindrel yelled at the dremora that sat in the corner of the sleeping quarters of the Cheydinhal Dark Brotherhood sanctuary. The daedra only shot her a wicked grin.

"I hope it keeps you up all night and day until your frail mortal husk withers and dies from exhaustion." He replied.

"Oh, you're so adorable. I see what's wrong, you're afraid of the dark! No wonder you always sit next to the fire." She teased. He sneered at her in response. Sindrel patted a small empty space next to her in the bed, giving him a wink. "If you want, you can sleep next to me so the big bad monsters won't get you, my dear."

"If I get in that bed, it would only be to strangle your pretty little neck," he growled at her.

"Oh, my darling Valkynaz, how sweet of you to say I'm pretty," she giggled, silently thankful no one else was trying to get rest in the sleeping quarters. She enjoyed taunting him and with her last comment he said nothing more and only fumed and glared at her. "Stay there if you like, it's your choice. Goodnight."

The young Breton was about to lay back down until she noticed Ocheeva walk into the sleeping quarters. The Shadowscale gave Sindrel's dremora an uneasy glance before stopping at the foot of Sindrel's bed.

"Ocheeva, you're back from your mission, how did it go?" Sindrel beamed, happy to see the Argonian before her.

"It went well, sister. I heard you completed your own contract perfectly." Ocheeva said with a toothy grin.

"Adamus Phillida won't be bothering the brotherhood any longer," Sindrel said, getting out of bed to address her guild sister. "But what brings you to me? Surely it is not to talk of contracts. I won't be ready for another one until tomorrow. I'm afraid I need my rest."

"I have no contract for you, sister. In fact, I am only here to tell you that Lucien has sent for you. He has given me this to give to you, for your eyes only as well." Ocheeva handed the sleepy woman a sealed letter. Her heart skipped a beat upon taking the letter in her hand. "It must be important if he wishes to talk with you directly. I have known Lucien for a long time and when he calls, it is never for idle chatter."

"Thank you for letting me know."

"Well, with that, I'll excuse myself. Walk always in the shadows with Sithis, dear sister," Ocheeva said, taking her leave.

Sindrel pulled open the letter, her eyes roaming over it anxiously. He wanted her to meet him at a nearby fort. Alone. Her heart did summersaults. Her family members, especially Vincent and Ocheeva, had their suspicions that Sindrel had an infatuation for their Speaker. It was hard not to see that she did indeed. Even her Valkynaz made a few sneering comments about how pathetic she was when she asked about the man. No sleep for her yet, she was now too excited to try. Gathering her things and only bothering to dress in a plain green dress, she went to leave. She asked her dremora to remain behind when he got up to follow, telling him that she had to go alone.

Sindrel found the fort and descended to its core with ease. Only a few skeletons and traps had to be dealt with. Before long, she found herself in a large room with a shadowy figure in the corner. It was the robed man she was longing to see. He turned to her, lowering his hood. His eyes met hers and he smiled his charming smile.

"Ah, my dear child, at last we meet again. I've been waiting for you. We have not spoken in some time, unfortunately. Welcome to my humble abode, my dear," Lucien said, with a wave of his arm.

"I feel most welcome, thank you, my Speaker," Sindrel said sensually, doing a mock curtsy back to him.

"Is there anything I can get for you as we discuss your next assignment? I understand you are fond of wine. Might I offer you a cup?" he asked, striding over to a table with the bottle and cups upon it.

"To be frank, I would prefer your company over any cup of wine."

The shadowy man chuckled, his voice rich and deep. It was so enjoyable to listen to.

"Unfortunately, business must come before pleasure, sweet child, otherwise I would further like to indulge in your… mood," he said, choosing his words carefully. His grin widened and he continued. "Of course, we always could after business."

Sindrel could guess what he meant by that, smiling and flashing him a flirtatious look of approval with a flutter of her lashes. She did so hunger for him. And he knew it. Having recently been turned by Vincent, she wondered what his blood tasted like. Perhaps he'd allow her a taste.

"Shall we get on to business then, dear Speaker?" she purred.

Sindrel entered the sanctuary, her heart heavy with the burden of her mission. She asked that Xelian stayed in the main hall and was thankful when he didn't ask why. These were kills she would not enjoy at all. The first she killed were M'raaj-Dar and Gogron Gro-Bolmog with the poison apples given to her by Lucien. Ocheeva and her brother, Teinaava, were next with a shot through their hearts with her conjured arrows. Another conjured arrow found the hearts of Antoinetta and Telaendril out in between the houses of the city. Sindrel nearly broke down in tears when she walked into Vincent's room. He was slumbering on his stone slab, as peaceful as death itself. Bending down, she kissed his forehead as she slipped her dagger in between his ribs, piercing his heart. She didn't want any of them to have to suffer long deaths, and was happy in the small fact that none of them did in the end.

Slipping back into Lucien's room at the fort from the trap door, she couldn't hold back her tears once she descended the ladder. She cried against the ladder until she felt a hand brush back her hood, sliding fingers into her hair. She found Lucien smiling down at her. He pulled her close into his embrace.

"Do not agonize over their deaths, they are with our dread father now," he breathed soothingly, his lips brushing up against her ear. Strong fingers traced up her spine, causing her to shiver. His other hand continued to stroke her hair, slowly moving to the nape of her neck to massage it slowly. "Your methods of killing are so precise and elegant, it's like art. I want you to know that I've enjoyed watching you. Nothing brings me more pleasure."

"I'm sorry, my Speaker, but your words bring me no comfort right now," Sindrel murmured, realizing he was pressing her against the ladder with his body. His lips had found soft of her neck under her ear.

"Perhaps my actions would do better than my words," Lucien whispered, bringing his mouth to hers with a deep sensual kiss. His tongue traveled over her lips and stroked her own. Hands swept down her back, gently urging her closer into his body.

A sigh escaped her lips when he pulled back. He could see the spark of lust ignite within her eyes again. She reached up to tangle her fingers into his long dark hair, coaxing him to continue his kisses upon her parted lips. Continue he did, slow at first. More fevered did their kisses grow as the seconds passed. Lucien's hands snaked up to the ties of the dress' lacing, undo them with ease while Sindrel's hands explored his upper body, feeling firm chest muscles under the fabric of his robes. The assassin found the edges of her dress, which now hung loosely on her, and slid the fabric down over her shoulders. The dress puddled at her feet, leaving the Breton exposed with little more than her underwear. The Imperial assassin quickly rid her hips of the last of the remaining fabric. Lucien trailed kisses to her collarbone, bring his hands to her breasts. He enticed a low moan from her when rubbed them. Sindrel could feel the heat rise between her legs and wanted more.

"This." Sindrel tugged at his robes. She growled at the fabric. "This needs to come off. Now."

"As the lady wishes," Lucien chuckled, quickly pulling it over his head. She pulled at his pants, nearly ripping them off of him. Grabbing him by the arm, she pulled him over to the bed and threw him down onto his back. "I do love a woman who knows what she wants."

"Shut up," she ordered, grabbing his manhood and stroking it methodically.

She would punish him for choosing her to be his Silencer. They did not have all die, she could have found the traitor if he had given her the chance. Now his punishment would be slow. Oh how he would suffer.

He grinned, laying back with his eyes closed, guessing at what she was up to. Not minding at all, he let her work away at him. She managed to get a few groans out of him, figuring it was time to up the ante. Coyly at first, she took his member into her mouth, minding her sharp canines. She switched back and forth from sucking to licking and a long velvety groan escaped Lucien's lips. She smiled in between several licks, raking the fingers of her free hand down his abs. She made a point to work him up several times, only to stop suddenly, teasing him with her mouth. After the third round of that, however, Lucien let out a growl and sat up. He grabbed her arms and with the swiftness and strength of an assassin, he flipped her down onto the bed, prying her legs wide open. Finding her wetness, he began to return the teasing, riling her up with his fingers, lips and tongue, only to stop right before she could climax. Soon she was cursing him, wildly thrashing about in frustration. After the third time, he let her go all the way. Sindrel cried out in bliss and he slowed his pace.

She squirmed upon the bedsheets, her wetness dripping between her legs. Lucien was about ready to make good use of it but she caught his arm and reversed the roles again with the same swiftness he had shown earlier. Now she sat on top of him, rubbing his throbbing member against her opening, teasing him again. He gripped at her thighs, massaging the inner muscles with his thumbs anxiously awaiting for her to mount him.

"How long have you wanted this?" Sindrel asked him, her voice laden with desire.

"Since I watched you slay the old man, Rufio." He replied, his voice raspy with desire. He was watching her rock forward and back, grinding against him in a way that was driving him mad with lust. She laughed lightly. It sounded like the sweetest music to him. Walking her fingers of one hand up his chest, she bent over and kissed him eagerly. He returned the kiss gladly, hungry for her lips.

With one of her hands, she guided him into her, sliding down upon him with a moan as she sat back up. He groaned and continued to watch her, mesmerized by the way her breasts bobbed up and down with her motions. She continued her swaying, riding him with a smooth rhythm. Her eyes were closed and she was absorbed in the feeling of him within her. The desire to touch her led to him sit up, embracing her, and covering her shoulders with nips and kisses. Rough hands clasped her supple breasts, rubbing lightly against the hard nubs that crowned them. He thrusted upwards to meet her, reaching deeper within her core.

Sindrel moaned uncontrollably when he began biting her neck. Her vampiric hunger stirred within her again. Unable to bear it, she brought her head down, sinking her teeth into his rippling neck muscles. He let out a growl, biting back the pain as she began to feed on him. He would allow it this one time, but he pulled her hair hard in response, eliciting a moan from her in between drinks.

"I'm sorry, but you taste so sweet," she groaned, pulling back to continue to ride him. A line of blood escaped her lips and several droplets fell upon her bosom. Lucien was enthralled by the sheen of her lips, ruby in color from his blood. He pulled her in close, devouring her full lips again with his. The blood mixed with her saliva was indeed sweet. Savoring the taste, he kissed her deeper, moving a stray hand down between her legs. Crying out, she realized he was strumming the bundle of nerves, leading to her bucking her hips more against him. He was playing her like a lute with her moans and sighs as the melody.

The more sounds that fell from her mouth, the faster he pummeled into her, continuing the work with his hand between her legs. Her moans became louder until she was nearly screaming, soon calling out his name. Pleasure erupted from her core, washing over her entire body as she came. Lucien was soon to follow suit, spilling out into her. Once they had both reached their climax, their speed finally slowed until they all together stopped. They were both beaded in sweat. Lucien fell back down upon the bed and Sindrel collapsed upon him, both of them panting and with flushed skin.

"Oh my."

Lucien chuckled at her, running his fingers into her messy tousled hair as he caught his breath. Sindrel angled her head to look up at him with a seductive smile. She noticed blood from her bite had drizzled down his chest during their lovemaking. Collecting a bit of it on her finger, she brought it up to her mouth and licked it clean.

"I wouldn't make a habit of biting me like that if I were you. I will let it go this time but the next I might have punish you for it," Lucien informed her, rubbing his eyes with the palm of one of his hands to try and ward off sleep.

"Well what if I like to be punished?"

"Then by all means, continue. I'll make the suffering far longer than I did earlier." he said with an evil grin.

"I think I just found a new habit to take on," Sindrel purred, running her own fingers through his now loose hair.

* * *

Sindrel blushed at the memory. Vex raised an eyebrow.

"So what happened after you had to do this cleansing thing?" Vex asked, causing her to snap out of the erotic vision from the past.

"Well, he comforted me and we became pretty close, you could say. That is, until he was taken from me… The traitor that had infiltrated the Brotherhood framed him for murders within the guild using me. I was devastated when I found him murdered by the guild but I got my revenge…" Sindrel stated coldly, staring deep into the fire with such intensity. Vex shivered at the word revenge. She could only imagine how she tore apart the traitor with the ferocity of a feral animal.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Vex broke the silence, allowing sympathy to seep into her usually callous tone.

"What has happened has happened. There is no changing it," Sindrel sighed with a shrug. "We were close but we weren't in love. He also wasn't the only man in my life. I've had a few more throughout the years."

"What happened afterwards? Is that sanctuary still in that city?"

"Well, afterwards, since the Listener was killed, I took his place, handling most of the contracts from then on through the Night Mother." Sindrel told her. "The sanctuary continued on throughout the years too, until recently actually. It's since been destroyed."

"You were the Listener? You have got to be joking…." Vex gaped. Sindrel shook her head with a soft smile. Vex furrowed her brows. "You're not… still in the Brotherhood, are you?"

Sindrel's smile only widened but she said nothing. Vex went quiet again, still staring at the red haired woman in amazement. She needed to know more.

**Author's Notes:**

**If there are spelling/grammar mistakes, I apologize. It's 4 am and I'm barely awake, lol. But thank you for reading. I appreciate reviews and faves, even if they're just text hearts! Let me know how you liked it. Thanks again for reading. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Ch2

Iona came and went through the room, checking to see if the two women needed anything. They declined.

"So what was with the dremora? Why did you keep a dremora as a companion during the Oblivion Crisis? Didn't that cause trouble?" Vex asked after Iona had left the room.

"Well, a few times it did cause some confusion. However, word spread of how I closed the gates in Kvatch, and the again in Bruma. I assume after my I was more famous, especially when I used a lot of magic at the time, people just assumed I was either a conjurer or perhaps just took him as a war prisoner. Some I know believed I was flaunting him off to anger Mehrunes Dagon himself since this particular dremora was actually one of his personal agents. Originally, though, he started out as an experiment for some of my work while at the mage's guild. I was more involved with magic back then, scholastically, and unlike the happy accident of just landing into the role of Archmage as I did here in Skyrim, I had to really work for it. Through my experiment with him, it allowed me to ascend the chain of command faster as well as advance the school of conjuration a bit." Sindrel explained.

"How was he any different than any other summoned dremora?" Vex raised a brow in curiosity. She didn't really know why she bothered asking, she knew little about magic.

"Well when you summon something, you're ripping a random daedra from their realm to ours. My advancement to this practice allowed me to summon a specific daedra with a lot less time and effort than the grand ceremonies and rituals practiced by some daedra worshipers. Better still, it allowed them more free will and thought, allowing you to communicate better with them. It took about three years study, beginning during my time in Morrowind, but my studies did indeed shorten the ritual of summoning the specific desired daedra by great lengths, while still binding them to myself. The only catch was that it required a personal item of that daedra, like hair, blood, or even a trinket they wear that is theirs," Sindrel replied, giggling slightly as she recounted how she ensnared him. "I kind of stumbled upon him, deciding he would be perfect for my study."

"Do tell," Vex prodded with a grin, sensing it would probably be a good story with how giddy the Breton was in remembering it.

"Well, I had stumbled upon an Oblivion gate rather close to Anvil…" Sindrel began.

* * *

Sindrel slinked through the macabre yet grand crimson halls of the Deadland's tower, this tower being the central one and the one that housed the sigil stone. The skilled sneak used the cover of the many shadows to her advantage as she made her way up. Her eyes danced around the central spire hall where the beacon of pure energy shot up through the tower's core. A door loomed up within her sights as she peaked over the top of the spiraling staircase, guarded by two Malkynaz, a warrior and a mage both on high alert. They hadn't seen her yet and for that she was thankful, quickly downing an invisibility potion to further envelope her from their sight. Without a sound, she hugged the walls and repositioned herself behind them. Her sights were on the mage first, and always was the mages to go first. As a fellow magic user, she knew the full extent of what dangers they could pose in battle, either through healing the giant brute back to full health or conjuring up dangerous atronochs. A few quick strokes in the right spots with her dagger made quick work of the mage, as he only wore robes as most typical magic users preferred for faster spell casting. Unfortunately, with the death of the mage as well as her potion of invisibility wearing off, his companion was alerted to Sindrel's presence. She dropped the dead dremora at her feet.

"Hello there!" Sindrel grinned wickedly, throwing out a fireball spell into the face of the warrior as he turned to face her with his claymore. It was a hit but dremora are known for their resistance to magic and it only dazed him. He gurgled out a growl and step backwards, swinging his giant sword blindly in front of him. Dodging the mad swings of the dremora would have been quite a task for someone who wasn't nimble, yet Sindrel had no problem with a hop left and a back flip. As the warrior recovered, she conjured up a bound bow with deft swipes of her hands, knocking back an arrow quickly once the bow took form in her hands. No hesitation was made and within the course of three seconds, the dremora was falling backwards towards the ledge with five arrows piercing his chest and neck. Sindrel hastily ran forward and grabbed the collar of his armor, catching a glimpse of the life fading from his eyes. She lowered him to the floor. There was no need for him to fall down to the first floor and alert the daedra that she had opted to sneak by earlier.

"Now what were you bad boys guarding?" She mused as her conjured bow dispelled into wisps of smoke and then nothing. This was not the first gate the Breton had closed, nor would it be the last, but over the course of closing a handful of Oblivion gates, she noticed a few recurring themes and patterns. One of them was that normally a Markynaz dremora guarded the sigil stone with a Sigil Keeper within the actual hall of the tower where it was kept, not outside of the doors to the hall. Additionally, only one Markynaz was stationed within each cluster of towers, overlooking one gate. Not two. Something else was in there aside from a sigil stone, or someone. "I doubt you guys just now decided to step up the security… The rest of your tower was as boring as your other gate's towers."

She considered some possibilities of what to expect, sitting down on the back of the dead mage and pulling her pack off her back to dig through it. Despite what it could be, she figured now would be a good time to prepare. Just in case. Sindrel searched her pack for five scrolls that she believed would be helpful in battle. An ring and necklace was switched out for another of a different enchantment. Testing the ring, she looked around and about a hundred feet below her she could see the purplish shimmer through the floor of a living creature she snuck by earlier. She also took the time to eat an apple, a bit of bread, and a wedge of cheese to quiet her hungry stomach. She had not yet taken up Vincent's offer of vampirism, still weighing the pros and cons of the disease to her benefit. A couple swigs of wine helped her wash down the food and she was back on her feet with her scrolls tucked into her belt.

Standing before the door, she could feel the hum of magical energy. That's just wonderful. The door had an enchantment upon it. She hated these because she was horrible at dispelling them. It felt strong too. She stood there, tapping her finger to her chin. She had an idea. Strolling back over to the dead mage, she began a slow incantation, hoping it would work on the dremora. Tendrils of energy strung through the corpse and brought it up upon his feet. Sindrel clapped her hands in joy to see a reanimation spell worked on dremora while within their plane of existence. In Tamriel, any daedra summoned upon that plane would be banished back to Oblivion if killed, leaving no body. As daedra never truly die, their bodies take time to reform within Oblivion, though she figured and was proven correct that their corpses would act as vessels for a reanimation spell while their souls needs time to reform within them. That is, if the spell is cast within the planes of Oblivion.

"Now, darling, would you kindly be a dear and open the door for me, like a proper gentleman?" Sindrel asked sweetly. The dremora moaned in response and shambled over, wrenching the doors open. The young woman stepped back knowingly. Less than a second after the door was open, a surge of lightning shook through the reanimated corpse, simmering the flesh and lighting the robe and his hair on fire. The corpse staggered to the floor for a second with flames still burning strong on him. Sindrel walked over and nudged him onto his back with her foot to smother the fire. Several small flames kept alive upon the dead mage's head and shoulders but the scorched dremora managed to prop itself back up. She had the misfortune of getting a whiff of burnt hair and skin. "My goodness, you smell wretched. I'm just thrilled you survived that. Come along now."

The Breton woman slid through the door without a sound, peering through the darkness for anymore traps. She favored the left wall as she walked. The shambling dremora meandered through the middle of the corridor behind her. Brushing her copper bangs behind her ears, she glanced to and fro once she came to an open doorway with a red glaring light piercing the darkness in front of her. There were eight purple figures at varying heights glowing through the walls, some most likely elevated by stairs, and at different positions within the large chamber. The closest shape she could see appeared to be the shape of a daedroth. A daedroth is just what she wanted. Sindrel readied her first scroll as she edged close to the door's edge. A hasty wave sent in the undead dremora mage into the chamber ahead of her as she lingered in the darkness. The reanimated mage moaned as he ran in, shooting out a blizzard-like spell at a cluster of enemies. Sindrel peaked in, seeing the large reptilian creature closest to her, and let loose her scroll spell.

The scroll she used was Dominate Creature and it was working like a charm. The Daedroth she hit with it was now clawing down the nearest Xavai warrior who had been preoccupied with the rogue undead dremora. Without breaking her concentration, Sindrel did the precise hand movements and necessary chant to summon forth a storm atronach which quickly joined the growing fray on the other side of the door. The summon spent quite a bit of her magical energy and before even thinking of entering through the door, she unpouched a small bottle of a strong magic potion. The taste of it was bitter but it replenished the magic that was lost and a bit more. Another peak into the room informed her that the atronoch was tearing up one of the other Daedroths, her undead mage had been slain but he managed to kill a Xavai warrior and another dremora, and her ensnared Daedroth had killed the other Xavai warrior he had first attacked but had its throat slashed by a Markynaz's claymore. All that was left was a helmeted Markynaz on the same floor level she was, the Sigil Keeper mage on the stairs, and to her surprise a Valkynaz up on the platform that overlooked the hovering sigil stone.

An angry cry rang out over the low roar of energy that kept the sigil stone connected to its gate and the woman looked to see that the Sigil Keeper had spotted her. Another two scrolls were grabbed from her belt. The mage sent a final spell at her atronoch and shattered it, banishing it back to its origins. The Sigil Keeper and the Markynaz were now running towards the doorway she occupied. The first scroll was spent just as the Sigil Keeper raised his hands to cast something at her, silencing his spell. She always loved scrolls of silence. The second scroll of Oppressing Grasp was cast upon the Markynaz, staggering him from a run to a sluggish march towards her. Sindrel took the opportunity to call forth her bound bow again as the mage drew out a dagger now he was ten feet away. The second the bow materialized within her grasp, an arrow was let loose with the speed of lightning. Just as the mage drew back his arm to launch forward with a slash, the arrow pierced his heart.

She thanked the Nine for allowing her to perfect her archery skill when the Sigil Keep crumpled to the ground before her. Another two arrows were sent off to the Markynaz, though only one stuck at the joints in the armor where it could pierce. The other glanced off his helmet. Perhaps she thanked them too soon. She was about to pull back another conjured arrow but a blast of heat hit the wall near her, knocking her off her feet. Scrambling back behind the wall outside the chamber where she came from, she patted her sides to put out a small bit of fire that hung on from the blast. It was a good thing she was wearing her hood, otherwise her hair would have suffered the same fate as her reanimated mage's hair did. Apparently the Valkynaz on the platform sent down an Immolating Blast spell into the mix since she was quickly gaining an upper hand. She noticed there was blood trickling down her arm. It had to have been from something that shattered from the blast. A glanced at her arm dismissed her worries. It was a good cut on her upper arm through her leather armor, but it wasn't a major vein or artery.

"That bastard could just come down and say hello," Sindrel muttered. She had to think fast since the Markynaz had only been slowed for a bit and was about to come through the doorway. Procuring a small bottle from a certain pouch, she checked quickly to make sure it was what she was wanting. Yes, this one would indeed do the trick.

With her dagger out, she smashed the bottle against the blade, bathing it with the poison. Sindrel had been counting the seconds since she had cast the last scroll, she had about ten left. She will have to be quick. Very quick.

Back on her feet and crouched again, she saw him step through the door sluggishly as if he were wading through molasses. It had to be now or never. The woman leaped up, catching him off guard as she thrusted her blade up under the helmet. It went deep into his throat and a sickening gurgle sputtered out. Pulling the blade out, she darted back into the shadows of the hallway that encircled the large sigil chamber. The Markynaz grabbed at his throat, still alive and stumbling forward. The spell had now worn off and he was looking around with such rage that he ignored the pain. Dragging his claymore behind him, he had spotted the droplets of blood that had trailed behind Sindrel and was now tracking her. Within seconds, he catches sight of her, crouched against the wall and searching her bag for more potions. He gushed out a blood choked laugh and pulls back his claymore for a great cleave down on the Breton girl. She looks up at him from his bag and smiled at him. The dremora was stunned to find he had dropped the giant sword and felt the ground rush up to him. He was bleeding out and the poison was finishing him off. An urgent huff of breath filled him and as he released it, the warrior's life went with it.

Sindrel blinked down at the corpse before her before going back to searching for her potions. A bit of strong healing potion poured onto her arm closed up the gash and she drank the rest. Another potion for stamina to give her that little extra kick she needed. Finally, she grabbed her last invisibility potion and held the bottle in her mouth as she repositioned her pack. Her stock of potions was running low and she made a mental note to make more once this gate was closed.

"Hiding will not save you, worm!" the last dremora she would face roared out in her language from the sigil chamber. "You only delay your inevitable death!"

"But I love hide and seek! Care to play a game with me?" Sindrel yelled out to the Valkynaz once she neared one of the doorways again. A surge of lightning struck the wall near the doorway that she crouched behind. She felt her hair stand on end and a tingle on her skin through the thick wall. "Is that a no?"

"Come out and die at my blade, little Nilkyn," the Valkynaz was not amused.

"I was hoping we could talk about this, perhaps over a cup of tea," She replied. Another blast hit the wall, causing it to crack a bit. "Okay, I'm pretty sure that was a no."

"I will rip your heart out, worm!"

"Well if you don't want to talk…" Sindrel murmured, grabbing out her last two scrolls and uncorking the invisibility potion, drinking it down. She slid through another door instead of the one she had been closest to and crept up the walkway that led to the platform the Valkynaz stood upon. The dremora lord was looking anxiously about, not seeing her at all as she crouched about seven feet behind him. Another silence scroll was used, hitting him in the back. He growled in rage, turning around while pulling the claymore from his back when he realized his magic was unusable. The warrior launched forward, bringing down his great sword. Sindrel, now fully visible again, skipped out of the way and went to use her last scroll. She had been saving this scroll for the most opportune time and the most desired subject. He would be a wonderful subject for her studies.

Before she could even read off the scroll, a kick to the stomach knocked her off balance and sent her backwards. All the wind had been knocked from her lungs and she coughed. Her head was spinning and she was fighting back the strong urge of passing out. The dremora lord strutted over before her, his claymore poised and ready.

"I've heard of you, little Nilkyn," he growled down at her. "You were the one who caused the collapse of the gate of the Sigil Tower at Ganonah. You slew many of my kyn there. They say you fought well."

"Do you want my autograph?" Sindrel wheezed out, clutching her side as she sat up. She was able to breathe again as her eyes anxiously searched around the ground. The scroll laid three feet away, rolled out. The dremora ignored her question.

"It will bring me great honor once I kill you here," he told her.

"And here I thought we were getting along so well now," Sindrel groaned out, pretending to stretch her back out in order to get a better glimpse of the scroll. It was still too read all of it. "I was hoping we could go get a bite to eat together."

The Valkynaz began to laugh as he raised his blade. Sindrel fumbled out an ice spell up at him, covering his face in an inch of ice before she did a sideways roll over to the scroll, barely missing the blade of his claymore as it smashed into the floor. The dremora was pulling off the layer of ice off his face and spitting curses.

"I will rape your body into a bloody pulp!" He roared out, wrenching his claymore from the floor. "You will beg for death!"

"Woah, dinner and flowers first, darling," Sindrel said, pulling up the scroll. Out came the spell, hitting him before he could swing his sword again. Paralyzed, he fell backwards upon the ground, stiff as a board. She stood up, brushed herself off, and drew her dagger. Sindrel went over and straddled his chest with her dagger swaying in one hand and a devious smile upon her face. "Don't worry; I want to keep you alive. I think you'll be perfect for my test. Now keep still and this won't hurt."

The stiff dremora lord couldn't even blink as she grabbed a handful of his shoulder length hair, slicing it off and placing it in her pouch. Replacing her dagger, she patted his cheek and stood up. Sindrel walked over to the edge of the platform, just overlooking the sigil stone, and turned back to him right as the spell wore off.

"You've been such a good boy, staying still for me. I hope I see you later," She blew a kiss as he struggled to get up.

The Valkynaz scrambled to get his sword. Sindrel let out a sweet laugh as he went to charge her again. The Breton leaped backwards when he slashed at her, into the beam of energy, and grabbed the sigil stone suspended in the middle of it. The tower began to shake viciously and the dremora watched her fall slowly as if time was crawling to a standstill. She gave him a smile and a wink with the stone clutched under her chin before blinking out of his plane of Oblivion.

It always made her queasy whenever she made a transition through the different planes, even with the Oblivion Gates. Sindrel was spit out from the gate seconds after grabbing the stone, landing on her bottom unceremoniously and further tumbling five feet. The spill out of the gates always left her more bruised than all the activity leading up to closing the damn things. She stood up, rubbing her butt and looked back to see a plume of fire belching out of the destroyed gate before it finally crumbled apart and the portal itself flickering into empty air. The ground around it was scorched and the jagged stone pillars of the gates still remained, but the daedra and the portal energy were gone. From that area at least. Looking down, she marveled her new little round beauty.

"I'm starting to get too many of these…"

It took a good hour, but Sindrel walked back to the city of Anvil. She still had two other sigil stones on her person along with her new one so she practiced her juggling with the orbs on her walk through the city. Finally, she approached her rather large house with a triumphant grin. The house in question was bought for a song by a lad who had inherited it. Her suspicions about why it was so cheap were answered when she stayed for a night, finding out it was haunted and also the resting place of a powerful lich in the basement. She had long since cleared the place out, not liking ghosts lingering about as she slept. Once again however, she found herself in the creepy basement a few days later closing the gate, drawing a handful of daedric symbols outside of a circle with chalk on the stone flooring.

Sindrel stood up proudly, dusting the chalk from her hands while inspecting each symbol and comparing it to her notes. Now for the final touch. She sprinkled a bit of hair from the dremora among several of the symbols. Standing within the circle, she began her test with the spell. Her first attempt did not work and she scribbled down notes, changing the layout of the hair follicles to different symbols. Her second attempt failed as well. The rearranging and casting process repeated for eleven more times, with each failure being recorded so that it wasn't repeated. Finally on her thirteenth attempt, the air around her sparked and a swirl of smoke bent the planes. From the cloud a form fell before her and the haze of the spell dissipated. She squealed in glee when she found that before her was the Valkynaz she had taken hair from. He stood up and looked around confused and enraged.

"You!" the dremora growled. His voice was low and dripping with venom.

"Miss me?" She giggled. "Oh, I cannot believe my luck! I got it to work!"

She pranced over, giddily, to her notes, recording the requirements for the summoning. The Valkynaz unsheathed his claymore and stomped over to her, sizing her up as she hastily scribbled down her notes. She wore no armor, just a simple white nightgown. She had no weapons on herself either, he noted, nor was she paying him any mind. As if he posed no danger. If he were bound, he wouldn't have free thought or action. However, something was off. Testing his theory, he reached out to grab her by the neck, hoping to strangle the girl.

His gauntlet brushed past her copper hair but he could not reach her, as if there were some barrier. That could simply be a spell, however. The sword was the next test. He raised the great blade high up and heaved it down. Shocked, he found his muscles lurched and paused in midstrike, inches from her head. Before he could even attempt a spell, she turned around, reached up, and placed a finger on his lips so he couldn't speak an incantation. The dremora glared down at her beaming face and sparkling emerald eyes, dumbstruck. The woman was so tiny and frail compared to him; he could not even imagine how she was able to pose such a threat to his Lord Dagon.

"Khajiit got your tongue!" she laughed, sensing his confusion. She placed a hand on his upper arm and gently guided his hands down. With that, she walked past him, looking back at him with a smile. "Spells won't work either, darling. It will only make a mess. Are you hungry at all? I'm thinking about eating something."

"Why can I not kill you, mortal?" he demanded, thoroughly infuriated.

"Well, you're more or less bound, however I guess my spell left you with your mind intact. Though because we are bound, you are unable to harm me. I bet that's very frustrating for you." She replied, placing a hand on one of her hips and the other hand fiddling with a stray strand of her long hair in thought. He noticed her nightgown was somewhat translucent when the torchlight hit her at just the right angle. If he weren't so upset, he probably would have been a bit enticed, even if she was a mortal.

"What do you want of me, Nilkyn?" he demanded, feeling drained from helplessness in the situation.

"Nothing, you've served your purpose."

"When will this conjuration wear off and I am sent back?"

"Actually, I'm not sure. I haven't tested this with any of the stronger daedra." She answered, biting her lip. "I've only done this with scamps. But I just banished them when I got my results, so I don't know how long they would have stayed. I banished them a day later though, so you might be here overnight. I would have tested the length of time, but they were scamps. I'm sure you know how filthy scamps can be."

The Valkynaz felt a mixture of disgust, anger, and distress. On the bright side, he would evade his Lord Dagon's wrath for "allowing" this girl to escape the tower alive for however long he was here. Dremora didn't have a habit of being optimistic, however, and he bellowed a shout of fury, kicking over a nearby table covered in books. The woman before him folded her arms with a frown. She was relieved he at least hadn't begun burning things to the ground.

"Please stop that, I don't want to have to use force to control you," she said.

"I am not yours to toy with, mortal!"

"Oh, but you are until you go back to Oblivion," Sindrel told him with a more serious tone of voice. He had then unsheathed his sword again and looked about for something else to destroy. "Now calm yourself or I'll do it for you."

"Never! I will tear you to pieces, you little— Arghhh!"

She wrung her fingers after her spell was finished and he sat panting on the ground. She was a master at not only the school of Conjuration, but also Destruction as well. A strong lightning spell put him quickly in line and had him silent for two hours. Without a word, she left him where he sat for the two hours and returned with two bowls in hand.

"Look, I'm sorry I shocked you, but you were being stubborn. I made some venison stew, would you care for a bowl?" Sindrel asked, bending down to offer him a bowl. The Valkynaz slapped the bowl out of her hand. She stood up and huffed at the mess. "Well that was rude. I'll just assume you don't like venison."

The dremora sat there, not even acknowledging her. The silent treatment reminded her of a small resentful child upset over the loss of privileges after being punished. She smirked at that thought.

"Well, don't get too used to this place, we're leaving tomorrow for the Imperial City. It will be a good eight day journey if we walk. So rest up if that's something you dremora do." Sindrel told him. She tilted her head. "By the way, what name do you go by?"

No reply.

"You're acting more like a child by sitting there pouting like that than an awe inspiring daedra." She informed him, coming over to sit in front of him. He glared down at her as she expected him to. Placing her hands on herself above her breasts, she spoke again. "I feel we've gotten off on the wrong foot here. Let's try this again, shall we? My name is Sindrel. What's your name?"

"You should know that names carry weight among the planes. I will give you no more power over me than what you have already," he spat at her.

"Ah, I understand your reluctance now," she smiled and nodded at him. "I wasn't even thinking about it like that, but I guess I understand. How about I call you Val? As in being short for Valkynaz. I think it works for now. Anyways, you might want to get some sleep, Val, it's a long walk ahead of us."

"Why do you insist on dragging me along?"

"Because I summoned you so I am responsible for you. Since we don't know how long you'll be here, I have to make sure you're not causing any trouble while here." Sindrel replied truthfully.

He hated this. He hated her. "Leave me be worm."

"Alright, there is a bedroll over in the corner there if you choose to sleep. Goodnight." Sindrel said, getting up and leaving him alone for the rest of the evening.

They left the next day. Sindrel offered him a change of clothing with a hood to disguise himself from people. He refused. She wasn't surprised by this so whenever someone asked about him or gave him a worried glance, she told them she was practicing her conjuration magic and not to fret. She was relieved that he never said anything, only followed wordlessly as they traveled down the road out of Anvil. Apparently, he still would not say anything to her. It was only when they passed by Kvatch that he ventured to taunt her.

"Ah, look at this beautiful destruction of your pitiful city. Soon all your cities will burn as this one did. You lands will crumble and make way for my Lord Dagon!" the Valkynaz exclaimed haughtily. Sindrel ignored him. He scowled and continued his taunting. For about thirty long minutes after they passed by Kvatch. Sindrel's nerves were wearing thin.

"Everything on your pathetic dirt pile you call Nirn will burn. Your people will be enslaved, your castles sacked, your forests burned, and all your creatures shall be slaughtered…"

Sindrel stopped in her tracks. She turned her head slowly around to face him, eyes burning with a deadly flare that silenced him for only a second. There was one thing Sindrel really held dear all over the lands that she had traveled. It was the preservation of the natural beauty of the forests. Perhaps it was the elvish in her blood or perhaps that was Azura's influence. Perhaps she was just sick of listening to him rant. Regardless, his threat struck a chord of anger in her that she would address. The dremora laughed wickedly at how he had upset her. The Breton marched over to him, standing only a few inches from him and looking directly up into his eyes. Such a flame burned behind those eyes that he caught himself staring.

"I'll be the one to stop that from happening," she told him coldly.

"I'll be there to watch you die trying. Nothing can stop the Daedric Prince of Change and Destruction. My Lord will bring with him a new—," the dremora lord began to declare but a surge of electricity shot through him, sending him down to his knees.

"I love how conductive you are with all that metal on you," Sindrel offhandedly mentioned, shaking the tingle from her hands. She then grabbed his chin and forced him to look up at her. "I will not listen to you speak of your stupid Lord Dagon anymore. If he dares to step one foot into Tamriel I'll cut it off and send him back crying like the whelp he is. You think I haven't faced a Daedric Prince before. I have and I can do it again. In fact, I was going to send you back once I had shown you off to my guild colleges but now I think I am going to keep you around so you can watch me take down Dagon."

She stepped back, releasing his chin roughly. He growled in defiance, planting a foot so he could push himself back up. A swift kick from the woman had him topple back down, further now than before. He lay in the dirt, eyes chaotic with rage. Bellowing a blood curdling roar out, he went to push himself up again. Another kick connected with his elbow, forcing him back into the dirt.

"I will not suffer your declarations of allegiance to your petty Lord. While you are on Nirn, you will submit to me and you will serve me," her words were precise and sharp.

"I would rather crush your skull in, Nilkyn!" the Valkynaz yelled, rolling away from her a distance so he can get to his feet without getting kicked off balance again. She made no move after him. Instead, she walked over to the edge of the road and picked up a long stick out of the brush. With it, she drew a circle, and from memory, she carved in the symbols she had made in her Anvil home's basement. Once it was done, she drew her blade and walk over to him again. He eyed her suspiciously but stood his ground against her.

"I'm giving you one chance to submit to me now. Forgo it and you'll regret it." Sindrel told him, dagger now drawn at her side.

"Never," he growled at her, preparing to receive whatever she had to throw at him.

"Then you leave me with no other choice," she leapt at him and slashed his throat before he could even react. Her agility stunned him. He collapsed to his knees once again, this time with his hands to his throat to try and hold the blood in. The gauntlets covering his hands probably made it worse and blood easily poured out. She bent down and gathered in her cupped hand the fresh blood that seeped out. Turning back to her circle, she walked over, letting the droplets of blood fall onto the necessary symbols. She glanced back with a sympathetic look on her face to see him glaring back at her, mouth gaping like a fish, before falling forward into the dirt. A purple cloud swirled around him and his body dissipated back into Oblivion.

Sighing, the woman went over to the side of the summoning circle and sat down, pulling out a flask of wine and taking a long drink from it. She replaced it into her pack and pulled out a small bottle of deadly poison. She coated her blade with it. Now it was time to wait. She figured an hour would be good and she pulled out a book to pass the time.

The time passed and she performed the summoning. The Valkynaz materialized before her within the swirl of smoke. He stood alive and well, his throat showing a thin line where she had carved it open previously. The dremora sneered at her, having figured out what her plan was.

"I bet that stung pretty badly. You daedra may not fear death, but I know you can feel pain," Sindrel wagered. He said nothing to her. "Are you still going to be stubborn?"

"Until the day of your death," he replied. She smirked and gave his response a nod. He raised his fists in hopes to block any oncoming assault from her blade when he saw she still held it. She smiled and jump behind him, slashing deeply at his lower side where the armor was weak. He laughed, thinking she was hoping he would bleed out from there when she stood up and walked over to sit on the edge of the road. He was losing quite a bit of blood but he would live. That is, if he wasn't poisoned. His heart began to falter and he could feel himself begin to weaken. Before he realized what she had actually done, he was colliding with the ground again.

After he faded back into Oblivion a second time, she prepared the next round. She summoned him, asked if he would submit, and killed him in a new way, banishing him back to Oblivion until she repeated the process. This went on for about three hours. Finally, after she summoned him for the sixth time, he could not bear it any longer.

"Enough! No more…" the Valkynaz reluctantly pleaded.

"So you submit to me?" Sindrel asked with a raised eyebrow. She was about ready to summon up a Storm Atronnach.

"Yes. I… I submit to you," he conceded feeling utterly humiliated.

Upon hearing his surrender, a sweet smile graced her face.

"That is good to hear! I was about to start bludgeoning you to death," she told him melodiously. The dremora grimaced at the thought. She went over to the circle and kicked dirt over it, ruining it for any passerby that happened to know any conjuration. Humming a happy little tune, she beckoned him to follow as she skipped on her merry way.

The Valkynaz glared after her. She was an enigma to him. He was wondering if she was insane, but he respected her determination. It rivaled that of his kyn's. Begrudgingly, he began walking, trailing just a ways behind her. At least he wouldn't be bored.

* * *

"So you brought him everywhere?" Vex asked. "How long did you have him with you?"

"He traveled and fought with me for about two years," Sindrel replied quietly, looking out through a window at the starlit sky. She thought out her words carefully and continued. "Don't worry, we kind of grew on each other after a while. He ended up even telling me his true name, Xelian. That took a while. Surprisingly, he was the best companion I've ever had and I'll be honest in saying I might just miss him more than Lucian."

"What happened to him?" Vex asked cautiously, curious now if they were closer than just companions by the way her eyes would sparkle as she spoke of him.

"I don't know," Sindrel said. "I'm still trying to find him actually."

"Can't you just summon him again?"

"I don't have any of his hair or blood, and it would only work if he were in Oblivion," the red head said sadly. "I don't think he's in Oblivion, however. Actually, that's kind of why I'm here. I was pointed to Skyrim for my search."

"By whom?"

"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"As if your previous stories and claims aren't crazy enough?" Vex looked at her with earnest. Sindrel blinked for a second before nodding.

"Point taken. It was Azura," Sindrel said, sheepishly glancing over at the blonde.

"What?"

**Author's Notes:**

**No smut in this one, unfortunately. Thank you for reading and I would love to hear your input with a review. Please fave too! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

"It was Azura," Sindrel repeated. "From the time I was in Morrowind, I have been her on and off champion. She communicates to me sometimes."

Vex stared at her, once again, incredulously. "Okay, you're right, that does sound like crazy talk."

"Bear with me here," Sindrel said, getting up and heading into the other room. After a bit of shuffling around, she returned holding a star shaped object. "Here. This is Azura's star."

The Imperial woman took the daedric artifact gingerly into her hands, surprised by its craftsmanship and beauty. Looking at the fine detailed carving closely, her vision was starting to blur at how beautiful it was. Sindrel hurriedly pried it from her grasp, leaving her to groan in confusion.

"You shouldn't look at anything that is Azura's too closely or for too long. Her plane of Oblivion is supposedly so beautiful it would blind any mortal who looks upon it. I doubt her artifacts, though able to be looked upon by mortals, would be any different after enough time passes." Sindrel explained, wrapping the star back up within its doe-skin leather. "This artifact in particular works like a reusable soul gem."

"Okay, okay, you do realize this is a LOT to take in, right? Why would she contact you from the start?" Vex asked.

"Well, she chose me to be the nerevarine, remember? I became part of her prophecy until I fulfilled it. After I did, she didn't really have much use for me aside from running an errand or two during the oblivion crisis. She saw that I had chosen to become a vampire and she warned me to rid myself of the disease. I chose not do and continued on without much thought about it. After I became the Hero of Cyrodiil, I had done many other things, traveled to other planes of Oblivion like the Shivering Isles, and was beginning to get a bit burnt out on traveling so much. I took a vacation for a few months, staying at one of my homes until I was spoken to within a dream. Azura summoned me to her shrine. So I traveled there."

* * *

"This is a bit out of the blue, being summoned specifically by a Daedric Princess," Sindrel muttered, offering up the necessary amount of glow dust at the foot of her statue. She watched the setting sun slip under the horizon slowly. Once the last bit of sun winked out of the sky, she glanced back at Xelian with a smile. The dremora gave her his usual somber face, nodding ever so slightly at her. The daedric followers of Azura sat praying at either side of him, not paying the stray dremora any mind.

"Ah, my champion, you have returned," a melodic voice floated through Sindrel's head serenely. "I see you still bear that disease."

"It's a necessary burden for me to carry, my lady," Sindrel spoke up to the statue. She always felt a little awkward talking at these shrines since the Daedra would only speak to her directly, making her look just as crazy as some of the others who worshipped there. "What is it that you have summoned me for?"

"I called you forth for several quests. However, you will not fulfill them for many long years. I have seen the evil that twilights the future of this world and you were in it once more. Your prophecy as the nerevarine may have come to pass and your aid brought peace to this land from Mehrunes Dagon, but your destiny for greatness is far from over. I have seen the future and though it angers me for you to bear such a vile disease, it cannot be changed," Azura whispered to her. Sindrel frowned.

"Not only did that make no sense, but I'm pretty sure my diseases are none of your concern. Now what can I do for you, my lady?" Sindrel told her, a bit irritated. Sure she had helped her by destroying followers of hers infected by vampirism almost two years back before she herself accepted the dark gift. Sindrel, however, did not follow any daedra and instead went her own way. Sindrel knew she on her own was not immortal. So Azura being upset over her being a vampire made her feel a bit annoyed.

Sindrel stood, awaiting the Daedric Princess' reply but the statue remained silent. Only the murmurs of prayers behind her could be heard. She looked back over to Xelian who held the reigns of Shadowmere and another horse which he used. He kept watch over her as always. After several minutes passed, she looked back and noticed the glow dust she had placed at the foot of the statue began to take a spherical form and glow brighter. It floated down before the woman and hovered just an arm's length away.

"Place your hand within the light," Azura commanded. "You will begin your next chapter in destiny, when you are ready."

The request should have been thought over more carefully, Sindrel would realize that later. Daedric Princes, even ones who are more aligned with good, work and think on a different level than those of mortals. The second Sindrel's fingers grazed the light, she let out a sigh and crumpled to the floor with her dress and hair splayed about her. Xelian let out a cry of shock and rushed to her side. The worshippers of Azura looked upon the scene, spouting out mutters of Azura's gifts and Azura's wisdom. The dremora relaxed a bit when he saw that she still drew breath, though only a little. He looked about with anger beginning to boil up within him.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Xelian demanded, glaring at the worshipers. They stepped back in fear and silenced themselves.

"Fear not, child of Dagon, the mortal named Sindrel slumbers until the need for her arises once more." Azura spoke to him.

"Why is there a need for her to sleep instead of living as she was?" He asked, still agitated.

"Cyrodiil has no need for her any longer. I need not explain myself to a lowly daedra, as you no longer hold any power within Dagon's court." Azura miffed at him. He gritted his teeth and gathered up Sindrel in his arms delicately. Azura continued before he could turn to leave, this time with a softer voice. "You have chosen to stay with her. Is your loyalty to this mortal girl out of love?"

Xelian refused to say anything to the Daedric Princess. In his silence, however, he looked down upon the face of his sleeping companion. Dremora knew very little of love. Love to them translated to the unity of his Kyn's clan. Sindrel spoke to him of how the word her language meant it was akin to having a great fondness for something, perhaps something one couldn't live without. He would have to say he grew very fond of her within those last two years. They were always by each other's side. Perhaps it was indeed love, but again, he wouldn't know.

"You may keep your silence, but your actions speak for you. Travel now to her mage tower north of Bruma. Let her sleep there until the time is right for her to awaken to the world once more," Azura told him.

Xelian, glaring daggers at the statue, mounted Shadowmere with Sindrel's sleeping form in his arms. He growled and turned to spur the horse, sending them galloping off.

Sindrel stirred slightly, feeling entirely too heavy as she shifted her arm. It felt wrong. She was roused from sleep by this feeling, awaking with a start. Gasping for air, she sat up. A frantic look around told her she wasn't at the Shrine of Azura anymore. Where was she and how did she get there? The last thing she remembered was touching the light Azura presented her. Now she sat on some sort of bedding in a pitch black freezing room. Sindrel was quite a bit unnerved. She was also starving. Thankfully, she remember one of her vampiric powers was the ability to see in darkness.

The woman rubbed the sleep from her eyes and blinked a bit into the darkness, enabling her darkness vision. She was stunned to find herself in the basement, or treasure room, of the mage tower she had found a while back. Or at least, it looked like it was. The imps that would care for the chamber were nowhere to be found. The ice that had previously lightly coated the floors looked as if it had built up and was threatening to choke the room walls, encasing many of her chests and shelves that held what little magical items or treasures in it. What wasn't encased in ice, like the bedding, looked as if it were more worn than she had last seen. The condition of some of the furniture looked dilapidated from age, when she remembered only buying them a year ago. Sindrel's face wore a worried expression as she tried to push herself off the bed. She felt so heavy for some reason, as if her body didn't want to work properly. She ignored the feeling, dragging her legs to the edge of the bed.

"Xelian? Where are- AH!" Sindrel, having attempted to stand up from the bed, crumpled to the floor. She was shocked to find her legs could not hold her. She stared up through the mist that lingered in the room as it always did. "What in Oblivion is going on?"

After what seemed like hours, and many failed attempts, she was able to gather enough strength to stand. She could not walk still, however, so she was forced to crawl. The teleporter, the only entrance and exit to the room, was thankful still there and free of ice. Sindrel found a single short blade, elven and enchanted with lightning, before she made her way to the round portal stone. Praying that it still worked, she crawled her way on top of it.

The feeling of phasing through to the upper layer of the tower relieved her. However, when she found herself under the weight of something heavy and draped over her, she began to worry again. Shifting around, she figured it was a rug of some sort, and a very large rug at that. Too weak to push her way under it and beginning to feel claustrophobic for air, she began to attempt to lance it with her blade. A successful puncture led to her escape and she crawled out to find herself in the tower main hall. It, much to her dismay, was a shadow of its formal glory that she had restored it to. Much of the tower looked like it was in ruin.

"Xelian? Please tell me you're here!"

No reply.

Sindrel forced herself to stand again, using her sword to keep her balance on her weak legs. She began to hobble around, inspecting the remains of the tower. The furniture was either rotted apart or destroyed, things with cloth were now a ratty mess of tattered shreds, the garden that she had loved and cared for was withered or dead, most of the decor was nowhere to be found as if the place had been looted, some parts of the stone had crumbled down and blocked the entrance to the study and kitchen, and most of the portal stones were nonfunctioning from what she could tell. She shambled back into the gloomy main hall, distraught and near tears.

After thinking for a few moments, she realized that it wasn't any event or people that had done this, it was time. She had been asleep for a long, long time. How long exactly, though, that's what she needed to find out. More importantly, what happened to Xelian?

Where was her Xelian? Why was she left alone? Had he abandoned her? Did he know where she was? Did he care anymore?

She loved him, she'd admit, but he had never told her that he loved her. Then again, she always let that go on the account of him being a dremora. Daedra were not often familiar with the mortal concept of love, or so she deduced. Professing his love for her or not, she convinced herself that he could not have stayed with her for just the sex, as amazing as it was. Sindrel had to find him.

She wasn't going to figure out how long she was asleep or where Xelian had disappeared to alone in this abandoned tower. She was going to have to go out.

Her stomach wrenched painfully. She also needed blood. A lot of blood.

Setting off again around the tower, she salvaged what she could from the scraps of what was left. The weak woman kept an eye out for any sign of her dremora companion. In her search, she found a shattered looking glass, dusted from age. With a bit of polishing, she looked in at herself. What a haggard mess of a woman she was, gaunt faced and savaged hair. She would go as far as saying she looked worse than when she got out of the Imperial Prison. Her dress was little more than decaying rags, but she pressed on in her salvaging. Previously barefoot, she made foot wrappings and a makeshift cape out of old tattered linens to shield her from the snow and sun. Now covered from head to toe in rags, looking like a wretched leper, and sword in hand, she trudged to door.

Sindrel praised the Nine Divines that it was a little after sunset, allowing her to travel without the fear of pain from the sun. She slogged out into the stinging cold, knee deep in the snow, leaving behind the empty tower. She was surprised to find part of the road was out, having crumpled away from the rest of it over the years. Her steps were more cautious around this. At least she was regaining her ability to walk properly again. After an hour of travel, she thought she could make out the form of the city of Bruma. She was all too eager to see another living soul. Once she got to the city, she could find someone to feed upon and a horse to steal. From there, she would begin her search for Xelian.

"Travel north, child…"

"What the…" Sindrel muttered, looking around. She realized a second later that the voice was within her head.

"You must travel north, to the land of Skyrim," the soft voice floated through her head again.

"Azura… You bitch, why should I ever do anything you say again? How long was I out?!" Sindrel demanded to the sky through the howling winter wind.

"You will find what you seek there. Now go, my child."

"Azura, answer my question! Azura! AZURA!" Sindrel screamed at the top of her lungs. The wind ceased its wild blowing as if startled by her rage.

Silence. Utter silence.

Sindrel fell down into the snow. Unable to control her feeling of helplessness, she wept.

She wept for the first time in a long time.

An hour passed and she stood from the snow again. For a time, she stared southwards towards Bruma, deep in thought. Finally, she turned and began her trek northwards, not once glancing back again.

Sindrel didn't really know where she was by the next night. Taking shelter in the cave during the day, she continued on until she happened upon three figures next to a fire on the side of the road. They noticed her shortly after she saw them. She pulled her cowl up to cover her face a bit more, peering out from under her ragged hood.

"What do we have here? A weak old woman?"

Old?! The word struck a nerve with the Breton but she ignored them, passing by without a word. She had a feeling they weren't going to let her pass, however.

"Hey! Nice sword you have there… How about you hand it over, hag," the man from earlier approached her and she glanced up at him with hungry eyes. Oh how he looked delicious, even if he were a bandit.

"Please, just take it and leave me in peace," Sindrel groaned out with the best feeble old lady impression she could muster, turning to him and pulling up the sword as if she were about to hand it to him.

"That's a wise decision to-Gughh," the bandit found the blade sliding in between his ribs. Sindrel wrenched it back out and let him fall into the snow, gurgling blood from his mouth. The other two bandits drew their weapons as Sindrel threw back her cloak and threw out a spell.

Nothing happened.

She attempted another spell, but it led to nothing as well. The two bandits were closing in.

Something was very wrong. Her spells weren't working at all. This had happened before, when she was stuck in the Imperial Prison for so long that she just lost her touch. If she did not keep up her practices, she would lose them.

Sindrel felt weak again and fear began to creep up within her mind. Panicked now, she resorted to her vampiric powers again, casting a reanimation spell upon the dead bandit before her. A wave of relief washed over her when the dead bandit moaned and stood up, drawing his weapon and launching forward to attack the two who were once his comrades. Sindrel threw another vampiric spell out, charming one of the two bandits to fight for her as well. The third man, a Nord by look of him, was quickly finished off.

Though she was thankful for what little protection her disease offered, she had to feed, diluting her powers but also protecting her from the sun. She didn't even bother leaving any blood in the charmed bandit, draining him until he was dead. She began to feel more energetic already, looking no longer haggard and feral. Feeling her face smooth and warm again comforted her.

The bandits had little gold on them but she took some of their clothes and dressed in the smallest size of the three, belonging to the Bosmer she had fed on. After gearing up in leather and tossing the rags behind her, she reflected upon her loss of magicka. Going through as many spells she could remember, she was dismayed to find that she had forgotten all but a handful. These were mainly a few low leveled Conjuration and Destruction spells. Spells that came to her naturally. A small bitter smile found its way to her face.

It looked like she had another clean slate. Again.

Traveling long after the sun rose, she actually welcomed the sun's rays upon her body, allowing it to warm her in the cold winter air. For the last day, she found herself traveling through a deep forest road, coated in snow. Apparently she made it to the other side. She marched along, taking in the frigid morning air, until the sound of swords clashing in the far off distance to her right caught her attention. Far ahead of her on the road, she noticed two horses and riders racing up the road towards her direction. Sindrel stopped. She was apprehensive. Perhaps, for a while, she'd play it safe. Opting to forgo any encounter, she fumbled into the brush to the left side of the road.

"You there! Halt!" she heard one of the riders call to her from behind. She cursed her luck for being spotted and could hear behind her the horses skidding to a halt at where she left the road. Pushing through bushes, she fell three feet over a ledge under the brush. Struggling to regain her footing, she found herself being surrounded by two black hooded Altmer. Their weapons were drawn and their free hands fidgeted with spells ready on their fingertips. They wore frowns upon their otherwise elegant looking faces. "We told you to halt, Breton!"

"I'm sorry, you scared me!" Sindrel retorted, holding up her hands in an act of surrender.

"Only the guilty are scared. Are you a spy for the rebellion?!" the taller of the two high elves demanded.

"I honestly have no idea what rebellion you're talking about. I was just trying to get to Skyrim so I could- HEY!" the other Altmer spun her around to face her away from him before he began to pat her down roughly. He finished, relieving her of her sword and turned to the other elf.

"She has no papers, sir."

"Where are your papers, peasant? Speak!" The first Altmer demanded.

"What papers do you want? I've done nothing wrong here, I'm just a traveler!" Sindrel told them, unable to keep anger from tinting her words. She noticed a third Altmer in the same attire approach, passing her without a second glance.

"Sir, General Tullius and his men have captured Ulfric and a small band of his rebellion. Orders are we are to meet them at Helgen," Sindrel heard the newest of the elf trio say.

"Excellent. We caught this woman here trying to sneak across the borders into Skyrim. She is to be bound and sent with the rebels," the first Altmer said behind her.

"Yes sir," the other Altmer replied, stepping towards her. Sindrel ventured to glance back at them over her shoulder, only to see him bring down the butt of his sword.

Consciousness came to her slowly, vision blurred and a jarring headache filled her brain. She heard voices over the sounds of horse hoofs and the wheels of carriages in mud. Straining her eyes, she pried them open to look around. Her hands were bound and she was stripped down to rags again. A glance around at some of the other passengers in the carriage told her they weren't any better off. They must have been the rebels. The man sitting to her right, however, he was dressed in more regal attire. He was the only one whose mouth was gagged. This confused her.

Looking back at the bindings on her hands, she groaned. "Not again…"

"Oh, you're awake," one of the Nord soldiers across from her said.

"Unfortunately," she muttered in response. Sindrel only knew nothing good could come of the situation she found herself in. This certainly was NOT what she was searching for. She decided then that if she ever was face to face with Azura again, she'd slap her silly.

* * *

"So yea, I've already told Delvin and Brynjolf about the Helgen incident and how I got out of an execution. I think you heard about it too, though. I know how word gets around in the Flagon," Sindrel grinned at Vex.

"Yea, I heard. I didn't think there was any truth behind the dragon at first though," Vex replied.

"Yea, Alduin, of all things, ended up saving me. I was going to attempt shooting the executioner with a small fire spell and booking it, but I probably would have ended up like the horse thief that tried to run earlier." Sindrel nodded, scratching her cheek thoughtlessly. "As for Azura telling me to go north, I still haven't found what I'm looking for. Then again, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be searching in the first place. I think she wanted me to tackle the whole Alduin problem while simultaneously punishing me for choosing to remain a vampire. That's my theory, anyway. Daedra are hard to read. There's nothing I can do to change what she did, however, so I'll just continue searching."

"You mean for Xelian?" Vex asked quietly.

A pause followed.

"Yeah," Sindrel looked down into the fire again. She was reminded how he found comfort in staring at the flames of their camp fires. She zoned out for a few minutes, not blinking. One of the logs collapsed in the fire, shaking her out of her thoughts. Sindrel let out a nervous laugh, realizing Vex was watching her. "I'm sorry. I can't believe how long I've bored you with my stories."

"I have not been bored at all," the blonde countered. "It's all been rather interesting, actually."

"Then I'm happy I haven't bored you, Vex." Sindrel smiled. "But would you do me the favor of not letting everyone know I'm a vampire? I'd prefer it not common knowledge. For obvious reasons, of course."

"I will not say a word about the vampirism. You have my word on that." Vex told her in all seriousness.

"Thank you. I appreciate that. Well, I think I will retire for the evening however, if you don't mind. It's somewhat draining to call back all these memories."

Vex nodded, standing. She realized there were many other stories her new guild master was not willing to share just yet. The burglar woman made her way to the door slowly, stopping just as she placed her fingers on the handle.

"Hey," Vex called over to her. Sindrel looked over to her, confused. "We're not done here, you got me?"

Sindrel smiled and nodded. Vex gave her one of her rare grins before disappearing through the door into the black of night.

Sindrel slumped down into her seat, tired and feeling a bit peckish.

"Iona," she called out. Within a few minutes, her housecarl came into the doorframe, dressed for bed already.

"Yes, my Thane?"

"Please, as always, just Sindrel will do," Sindrel frowned and held up a hand, waving away the usual title she was given. It made her feel too unattached from the townspeople here.

"Sorry, Sindrel, what can I do for you?" Iona asked. Sindrel silently pointed to the chest in the corner that she had stocked with bottled blood, rubbing her temple to attempt to ward away an oncoming headache. Iona made no hesitation to bring her a bottle, though she grimaced slightly as she watched the vampire woman down it quickly.

"I wanted to ask you, does it bother you that I'm a vampire?" Sindrel asked her as she placed the empty bottle on the floor planks next to her chair.

"I'm still alive so no, not really." Iona replied after a few seconds. She rubbed the back of her neck, realizing how that may have sounded. "I mean, you're not like the vampires you've destroyed with the Dawnguard. You are my thane, so it doesn't matter what you are, I'm sworn to you in service. I think you are a great woman, personally, and am honored to serve you."

Sindrel nodded solemnly, staring back into the fire.

"It's kind of funny they never realized I was a vampire," she chuckled. Pushing herself up, she spun on her heel to face the Nord woman before her. "But thank you for answering my question, that's all I needed to know. Now if you'll excuse me I should get some rest before I head out tomorrow for Whiterun, so I'm off to bed."

"Goodnight, my Thane- er, Sindrel."

"Goodnight, Iona."

**Author's Notes:**

**Faves and reviews appreciated, though I don't think anyone really even reads this fanfic. I can't really categorize the second character (Xelian) under anything for the search engine. But oh well. I'll keep posting... I hope, until the end. Thanks to anyone who actually reads this.**


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